


Toppled King

by PhoenixPlume117



Series: Continuity Timeline [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Court, F/M, Family Therapy, Gabriel's still a good dad, Lots of Angst, Marinette & Adrien Engaged, POV Multiple, Prison, Wedding Planning, engagement fluff, gabenath, gabriel goes to jail, mayura turns him in, nathalie knows everyone's secret, sante is a cushy prison, you need to read all my stories to know what's going on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:01:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22462252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixPlume117/pseuds/PhoenixPlume117
Summary: In an effort to save Gabriel from himself, Mayura helps Ladybug catch Hawk Moth when she learns his plan will destroy all the miraculouses.  As much as she loves him she knows if he continues he will tear time and reality apart but most importantly himself if he finds out who his enemy in black is.  Marinette is starting her business while Adrien is finishing his last years in school together they are planning their wedding.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth & Nathalie Sancoeur, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Series: Continuity Timeline [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1544362
Comments: 7
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the adult GabeNath, there will be another one when she's younger when my muse cooperates.

2024 AD/CE

**_Demons - Imagine Dragons_ **

She never expected her yoyo to hit it's mark, and based on the look on his face neither did he. The pendant fell to the ground and within moments Gabriel Agrest stood 5m away from her. Ladybug's hand covered her mouth. "No…" she whispered shaking her head, "no… no. No, Gabriel, no," she bent down and picked up the miraculous. "Why?" The word hung between them.

He was her business partner, not that he knew it. But she did. She had begun to see him as more than a mentor and partner. After dating his son for so long he'd become like family to her, they'd even share quite a few of his rare warm moments. "Why, M. Agreste, WHY?!" she yelled the last. 

Gabriel looked down at her with accusing eyes. "I  _ need _ your miraculous  _ and _ Chat Noir's."

Marinette shook her head. "Why?"

His teeth clenched, how dare this girl question him. She didn't know him. She didn't know his pain, she didn't know what it was like to hear his son cry and know he couldn't do anything to comfort him except give him time and space. To know that he couldn't even comfort him because the only person who could ever comfort him was gone. She didn't know what it was like to lose everything just by losing a simple, 'good morning' in bed or a touch, a kiss, a scent. How  _ dare  _ she judge him.

"WHY!" She screamed! After 10 years how dare Hawkmoth be her partner's father.

Gabriel looked emotionally defeated, "for my son."

Ladybug looked like her eyes might ignite into blue fire and incinerate him. "Adrien would never want this. Never."

Gabriel shook his head. "You know nothing of my son."

She laughed a hollow sound, "No, Gabriel Agreste,  _ you _ know nothing of your son." She saw Chat's form coming quickly and threw the butterfly miraculous back at the designer. In a cold dead voice she said, "Transform now, me knowing is bad enough, Chat Noir is  _ not _ to find out who you are."

Gabriel's face looked stunned but he quickly pinned the miraculous back into place and transformed.

Ladybug looked at him with clenched teeth and fists and more anger than he had ever seen, yet her eyes were filled with tears, "Go home. I'll find you later," she bit out between her clenched teeth, an angry tear rolling down her face.

He jumped off the side of the building.

A breath later Chat was at her side, "Where'd he go?" he looked at her "Ladybug? Where did you get hit? Why are you crying?"

Ladybug shook her head, "I'm fine just twisted my, myyy-ankle, the a-akuma's gone," she stumbled over her lie, "It's over. Let's go to your house."

They'd agreed to meet at the Agreste mansion in a few minutes. When Marinette reached the gate she punched in her code but it didn't budge. Finally she just pushed the call button… and waited. "Yes?" came an impatient Gabriel Agreste's voice. 

"M. Agreste, my code isn't working."

"The house is on lock down."

She looked up and noticed the windows were indeed covered with metal.

"Adrien asked me to come."

"Marinette, it's for his safety, please go home for your safety as well."

"Gabriel, I also need to get my designs for work tomorrow. They're right there on the desk next to Nathalie's desk," she heard shuffling then a click and the gate began to open. 

When she reached the front door Gabriel was holding it slightly open, "Quickly come in."

She made an effort to smile at him but couldn't seem to unclench her teeth, "Work got to you huh?"

He looked confused, and shut the door behind her and locked it then pushed a button hidden in the door jam. "No, Marinette, you're here because you're my son's fiance. You are part of my family too. I thought you would be safest inside with us."

Marinette's shoulders fell slightly, she hadn't expected that. 

He continued, "your work could have waited until tomorrow, but as I said, I think you'll be safer here than at home."

Marinette's eyebrows came together in anger, did he think Ladybug would hurt Adrien or his fiance because they were related to Hawkmoth?! What kind of monster did he think she was? 

He walked toward his office, Marinette on his heels. 

Once she entered the room she shut the door firmly behind her and locked it. 

Gabriel turned a confused look at Marinette when he heard the soft "snik" of the lock. They hardly ever closed the door but they'd never locked it. Then he saw the look on her face. He could read the emotions pouring off of her. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose and he went to sit in a chair, "Of course my protege would be my enemy. I suppose next you'll tell me my son is Chat Noir?" Gabriel's head snapped up. She hadn't meant to but she was so close and her worry for him, and love for him, all the emotions at one time was too much for her to control or hide, and Gabriel had been able to read it all in a moment. "No." He shook his head. His fear becoming near paralyzing.

Marinette still standing in front of the door came to sit in the chair across from Gabriel. "It's rude to read people's minds."

Gabriel looked sick.

She crossed her legs then her arms and glared at the man across from her. She had no idea what to do. She knew what she  _ should  _ do. She should call the police, end the farce for once and for all but… 

"Adrien," Gabriel whispered the name brokenly.

Marinette looked up to see the shocking site of tears falling from his eyes. 

A hollow laugh came from Gabriel, "You've worked with me for over 5 years and you're surprised to see me feel?"

Marinette blushed but tried to hide her feelings and thoughts lest he pick up on her immediate mental response, of 'I didn't know you could,' even though it was a lie, it was just the way she felt in the moment.

He shot up from the chair filled with nervous energy. He ripped the tie tack from behind his cravat and tossed it to her. "I still need your miraculous."

She choked on a laugh after catching the pin watching Nooroo looking at Gabriel with worry on his face, "Excuse me?"

"Adrien will no doubt give his without a second thought."

"No, Adrien will never find out you were Hawkmoth. It would break him."

"I won't let you marry him, with this large of a lie between you."

Marinette looked at him as if he were crazy. "That's not really your choice is it?"

"It would rot your marriage from the inside out. You would hold this secret. He would eventually figure out you were hiding something and think the wrong things. It might take 3 months it might take 5 years but it would sour your marriage like a bad cheese," his face showed his sincerity. 

He'd been married and very much in love, he'd also been partners with his wife, maybe he knew more than anyone what they would go through in life. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Gabriel said as he walked to the secret panel to disengage the security system that was obviously no longer needed since he'd let the enemy in, of his own volition. 

"What happened to Mme Agreste?"

Gabriel's head hung, "I didn't protect her."

Marinette looked critically at him, "How?"

"I was in Italy and there was a missing child. We always would get involved when children would go missing."

Marinette nodded for him to continue since he had stopped.

"She had always been  _ Le Papillon, _ giving people the ability to be more than themselves-"

"Wait,  _ she _ had the Butterfly?" she looked at the kwami, "sorry, Nooroo, right?" he nodded, "you were her partner?"

"Yes," came his soft voice.

Marinette's breath came out in a woosh, "So,  _ you _ were the Peacock?" She sat back in stunned silence, digesting the information while Gabriel paced and watched her. She sat up, "I suppose it makes sense, you are a designer, and look at how you dress." 

He scowled at her. "That has nothing to do with it." It might but he certainly wasn't going to entertain such ideas.

Marinette was finally starting to warm slightly to Gabriel again, "go on, you were the Peacock,"

Gabriel ignored her tone, "I left Duusu home, Emelie had difficulty with just about anything domestic and Duusu was always helpful with reminders. When the police couldn't find the child she did what we always did she found a police officer who was above and beyond and akumatized him. He lead the search but he couldn't find the child so she used the Peacock broach. She'd seen me use 2 before she thought it would be safe but she didn't understand."

"Wait,  _ what?" _

Gabriel turned to her smiling. "You've come for the whole story Ladybug, now you will have it."

"You've used two what?"

"I've had two different Miraculous but they've been from 2 different types."

"Two boxes?"

"Not so much."

"What do you mean?"

"I used to hold the Illyrian Peacock too, but it has nothing to do with the other miraculous. They're affiliated with the old gods of the Mediteranian and the Balkans."

"What?"

"You didn't think your people were the only ones, did you?" 

"I was given the Illyrian Peacock in 1946."

Marinette laughed, "How old are you?"

"Ninety-six, but I don't look as lovely as your mother."

Marinette gasped.

"It was only a guess but your reaction confirmed it."

"Please stop adding new information and explain."

"If the powers come from different sources they can be mixed by any miraculous holder without consequence. The Illyrian Peacock was for protection. You would compare his powers to your Turtle. I could use him with Duusu."

Marinette opened her messenger bag at her feet and looked inside, "Did you know about this?"

Tikki smiled guiltily, "About other items of power or that they could be mixed?"

Marinette frowned, "Any of it?"

Nooroo came to his old friend's rescue and answered, "We knew there were others out there, but they were not like us but  _ I _ did not know our powers could be combined."

Tikki spoke up, "Neither did I."

Marinette grunted, "Mmh. Go on."

"Working with Argus, extended my youth, it's also no doubt how I survived the war"

"Argus? From mythology?"

"Exactly he. He was sent to protect Io in the myth because he had 100 eyes and when he was killed his eyes were given to Hera and she put them on her favorite bird. The peacock. Well, that's a lovely story but only partly true. Io was Argus' wife they were fleeing her rapist, Zeus, of course. In reality he was a serial rapist but he was a powerful man, and therefore couldn't be held accountable. They had to flee to Illyria. He really wasn't human though, I suppose we could use the term god or alien, both in different times would be correct. Eventually Zeus, who was a very powerful man, god, alien, like Argus, found them and Argus was killed but before he died he had made Io a fibula. When he was killed, if you could call it that, his power along with his spirit was transferred to the fibula. He'd made it for that purpose. That's how she was able to flee, the peacock fibula's protective powers"

"Flee?"

"To modern day Turkey. I always found it humorous that was where she went and the fibula managed to go back and forth between the places more than once. I was a young teen when I found the fibula while I was working at the grand bazaar in Istanbul."

"What, but I thought you were from here?"

"That's just a press story."

"That's what Adrien thinks."

"Adrien knows he's Italian."

Marinette laughed humorlessly, "Adrien thinks he's Italian because 'Agreste' sounds like it might be Italian."

Gabriel continued pacing, "It  _ sounds _ italian because it is, I am. _ He _ is, and half Swiss.

"Swiss?! Does he know  _ anything? _ " Marinette said upset on behalf of her fiance.

"Emie was Romande from Freiburg. We met in the 70's."

"I guess that explains her taste in music," Marinette said under her breath. "That's all beside the point. Why are you torturing Paris?!"

"To get you to give me your miraculous! I've been very upfront about it every single time."

"You have your own! For a long time you had most of them! Why do you want ours?"

"The wish."

Marinette shook her head, "There's no such thing."

Gabriel stood abruptly. "Don't lie to me. I know about the wish, when someone combine's the black cat and ladybug's powers they're granted a wish."

Marinette shook her head. "No, Gabriel, there's no such thing as a wish, everything is compensated, so how many people do you care about? If you make the wish someone would take her place. If you don't love anyone as much as her then maybe more than one person will take her place. Your suffering will not end, it will only change. It's an alteration of reality, not a wish. Besides, would she want you to kill people for her to live?"

"I haven't killed anyone."

Marinette's jaw dropped, "You may have kept your hand's clean but your akuma's have caused plenty of other's to kill. Adrien has died 6 times. Do you know ho-"

Gabriel looked sick, when Chat Noir was just a player for the other team it didn't matter how much damage he took, after all Ladybug always fixed things but now, now it was his son. Knowing what had happened over and over while he'd jeered, at times he'd even nearly strangled the cat to death himself. He ran to the basket next to his desk and vomited.

Marinette sighed and walked over to him.

"Stop it!" he yelled, her emotions blaring loudly in his mind, "I don't need your pity. It didn't happen to me. I did this to myself."

"We can agree on that," Marinette looked around something, rather  _ someone _ was missing, "Where is Nathalie?"

"Her room," he said, barely paying attention to the question, focusing on his memories, trying to pinpoint every time Chat Noir had been sacrificed for Ladybug in his memory. 

"Her room?"

"She's used to live here and has had her own suite for years, she often works late. She finished for the day but since we're on lockdown she retired to her room."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

**_When You Were Young - The Killers_ **

Nathalie sat huddled in the back of the closet in the room she would come back to as needed. It had been her room when she'd first come back to France as a teenager but as soon as she'd been sent away to college Emilie had cleaned out the room and put her meager belongings into storage and made it into another sterile guest room. When Gabriel and she began seeing each other it was in this room that they met. It was in the pillow Gabriel used to sleep on, she had her face buried in as she sobbed knowing what she had done to him. For him, she reminded herself her shoulders shaking with her grief. Duusu gently rubbing her head and whispering reassurances. 

She was not a crier. She was not Marinette, she was not prone to extreme emotions and she did not have any anxiety disorders. She'd found it to be a comfort to no longer always feel so much anguish based on other's feelings or worry about what other people thought of her. However there were three exceptions, Gabriel, Adrien and Marinette. It was exhausting knowing their secrets and knowing they were hurting one another and today, actually last week, she couldn't take it any longer.

She'd watched Chat Noir's lifeless body fall from an amok she'd given to someone. They'd crushed him, it was horrific, bloody and bruised he'd been tossed to the grass and for some reason she didn't see the full grown man. In her mind she'd seen the platinum haired toddler she'd baby sat playing dress up. Maybe it was because he'd been thrown into the park she'd taken him to as a baby but she couldn't wait for Gabriel to change on his own any longer. She simply remembered sitting at a table as a teenager being told she would be the downfall of Hawk Moth.


	2. Chapter 2

3 Hours Earlier

Gabriel looked around the side of his computer, "Nathalie, I'm finished here, I'm going to get a feel for what's going on out there."

She stopped working on the bansari silk orders to look at him, calming herself completely so he couldn't read her, "I'm sorry Gabriel, I'm a bit behind, could it wait?"

He stepped down and walked across the room to her and gently caressed her cheek, "It's no problem, join me when you can," he said then leaned over and brushed his lips over her cheek.

He surprised her by saying he would start without her. She nodded and watched him leave for his lair then she left the house. 

Duusu wrung his little hands, "Nathalie are you sure?" he said knowing Nathalie's plan.

Nathalie nodded, "I need you to help me be strong, not help me question myself. You've always known who I was. I should never have let this go on so long," she said as she got into the car. She drove to the Agreste SA offices and walked directly to an office with 8 associates on their phones typing in front of their screens. 

She waved to the associates and told them to not take anymore calls. Once everyone was off their phones she'd sent them to the presentation room for a protocol she'd created long ago incase Gabriel had needed a ploy. She'd never imagined she would be the one needing it. Once they were gone she locked the door and with a shaking hand picked up a phone and looking at her cell phone dialed the number for Marinette Dupain-Cheng through the untraceable line.

¤¤¤

Marinette was in her bedroom folding fabric and putting it in boxes, she couldn't leave anything to the last minute. She'd already started moving things to the apartment. Her life was rigidly scheduled anymore. She reached for some shimmery black tulle and began folding it when her phone rang, it didn't have any information it just said Unknown Caller.

"Oui?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

"This is," Marinette said.

"This is Mayura."

Marinette nearly dropped the phone, she _did_ drop the fabric, "If that's true, why are you calling me?"

"This is not a joke I know you are Ladybug, I know your fiance Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir and more over _I_ can tell you how to defeat Hawk Moth, and I will, on two conditions."

Marinette's heart beat erratically in her chest, how did she know, how long had she known? It sounded like Mayura, "What makes you think I'm-"

"I don't have time for games Marinette, should I call Alya? Luka? Alix?" 

Marinette felt bile rise in her throat as Mayura continued naming her team mate's names, how did she know so much? "N-n-no, I-I'm listening."

"I will- I will send him to you. His miraculous is in the broach at his neck, get it off of him, hit it with your yoyo, whatever you have to do, just take it from him. I'll take care of the rest."

"Where do you want me?"

"Your old school, wherever it happens I want there to be no witnesses and the second condition is no matter what you may want to do, you cannot hurt him."

Marinette frowned, "Mme. Mayura, I am a hero, I will report him to the police, I will not harm him unless he harms me, or Chat Noir."

"I'm sure I will see you later today," she'd said and hung up. She'd put her phone in her pocket and picked up her tablet after smoothing her hair with shaking hands. She took a breath and stood up and strode to the door. She went to the presentation room and told the associates she was so sorry but the guest speaker was unavoidably detained they had to reschedule. They went back to work and she went back to the Agreste mansion.

Once there she went to Gabriel and prepared to betray the man she loved. She blanked her mind and walked up to him knowing this would be the last kiss, last touch. He would never forgive this. She was costing him Emilie, who she always knew would come back and she knew she'd be put back to the side again but she'd told herself it would be fine. She would be fine, she'd take the few years she'd had with him and they'd be enough. Now she knew she'd been wrong.

"Nathalie?" Hawk Moth looked down at the woman, she was filled with turmoil, he'd promised to never read her but he couldn't help when she projected her emotions to this degree.

She looked up at him, "Hold me?"

He pulled her close, then lifted her high into his arms and walked toward the corner of the room where a chaise sat from the days when she would need to rest after using Duusu and laid her on it. She pulled him to her so he slid next to her and held her close wondering what was causing her distress but Emie had told him he shouldn't attempt to comfort people, or even talk to them because he only made them feel worse when he did, so he didn't and he knew she was right. After her accident, Adrien had thrived, who knew the harm he would have done if he had tried to comfort him, or had gone to him and shared his grief as other parents did with their children.

While Hawk Moth was deep in his thoughts, Nathalie felt her misery overtake her as she gently loosened the butterfly miraculous so it would easily fall when Ladybug hit it. She inhaled deeply, he smelled of spices and citrus, even though they had their own fragrance line he still wore Dion's _Coquin_ (rogue), unless he was representing the company. Then he would wear their flagship fragrance _Gabriel_ which was also a citrus spice scent but not the same. She sniffed and wiped her eyes, it was time. She sat up, "I'm sorry, I'm ready. Actually let's go out today, we haven't in a long time."

Hawk Moth stood and offered her his hand ever the gentleman the gesture almost brought her to tears again and she quickly called for Duusu to transform her then took his hand and took a running jump out the window with a forced laugh. 

At the Place du Châtelet, Hawkmoth and Mayura both perched at the feet of Victory with her crowns held mockingly above their heads when Mayura spoke up "There! She's there!" Mayura pointed to the school not seeing Ladybug but knowing she'd be there soon. "I'll go find Chat Noir. Today we'll win," she hallowly promised and jumped in the opposite direction from Hawk Moth, knowing she was sending him to his doom.

¤¤¤

Nathalie jerked up from the pillow when she heard the knock at the door and looked up to see Marinette walking into the room with a shocked look on her face. "Nathalie? _You're_ Mayura?"

Nathalie wiped her eyes and tidied herself checking her nose by daintily tapping her upper lip with the back of her hand as she stood. "Marinette, thank you for doing what I could not," she said calmly belying her inner turmoil.

Marinette looked at the distraught woman, "How did you know?"

Nathalie shook her head, "I cannot tell you that."

"How long have you known?"

"I cannot tell you that either."

"I can just ask Bunnyx."

"She won't tell you," Nathalie said with authority that said this conversation was over.

Marinette held her hand out, "I need the peacock miraculous."

Nathalie took a quiet shaky breath and reached inside her blazer and unpinned it from where it was hidden.

Duusu screamed, "Noooo! You can't! You can't take me away from Nathalie! She needs me! She's given you Gabriel. Be kind, she'll have no one. She shouldn't always be alone!"

Marinette was surprised, wasn't he here against his will? "You willingly hurt people?" She looked at Duusu.

The kwami looked guilty and cowered behind Nathalie's shoulder.

Nathalie narrowed her eyes at Marinette, "I gave you what you want, that does not give you the right to pick on Duusu and Nooroo."

Tikki who'd had enough came out of hiding and shook her hand at Nathalie, "She's right, Duusu was wrong to willingly hurt people." Tikki looked at the Peacock with irritation, "What happened to you?"

Duusu looked at his friend, "Her love is so pure."

Tikki shook her head, "Unacceptable."

Duusu's tail flared with his anger, "You're one to talk, need I remind you of what you have done?"

" _Those_ were different times."

"You chose to do things out of _greed_ at least what I'm doing is because she's doing it for _love."_

Not for the first time Marinette wondered exactly what Tikki was like before humans were able to control their miraculous partners. She needed to decide what to do with this little peacock his relationship with Nathalie was so loving and protective, so like her own with Tiki. But she could not allow them to be together any longer, it would be irresponsible. On the other hand, something felt off about taking him from her after she had delivered Hawk Moth right into her hands. "Alright, how about this, Duusu you have to come with me but I'll allow you to visit Nathalie occasionally."

Nathalie looked at her small partner and nodded to him, "we don't even deserve this," she said handing Marinette the broach.

Marinette took it gently, "Thank you. Gabriel would like to see you."

Nathalie nodded once, "Of course," she said attempting at brusk but her voice betrayed her and cracked.

Marinette touched her arm, "he's, I'm not sure how, or why, but he's not angry."

Nathalie nodded, "What about Adrien?"

Marinette crossed her arms, "I'll figure it out," she said turning away from Nathalie and walking out the door.

Nathalie rubbed her hands up and down her arms and walked out behind Marinette hearing her heels snapping a soft death knell on their way to the executioner.

¤¤¤

**_Halleluja - Jeff Buckley_ **

Nathalie rested her forehead on the door to the athalier and rapped on the door with her knuckles.

"Nathalie? Enter," came Gabriel's sharp voice, from inside.

Nathalie took a deep breath and straightened her already straight clothes then patted her already perfect hair and opened the door to find Gabriel sitting in a chair with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. She softly shut the door behind her.

"Where's Nooroo?"

Gabriel looked up, "She took him." Marinette hadn't been lying, he didn't look angry, he looked… broken. 

Nathalie walked to him slowly and kneeled in front of him, "I'm sorr-"

"You knew?"

Nathalie looked down.

"Don't apologize. The only thing I'm upset about is how long you allowed it to continue, but you never knew what I was doing until now did you?"

Nathalie's eyes filled and she shook her head. It was only today he had told her it wouldn't matter what lengths they went to, to get Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses because once he had them there would be no miraculouses to harm anyone ever. After hearing that she knew he needed to be stopped, he would rip apart time… And she'd never be born. Self preservation was a strong driving force.

He leaned forward and pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry," he said into her hair.

She shook her head buried in his neck, "I should have stopped it when you first hurt him."

He held her close, "I should have listened to you."

Nathalie shrugged, she knew he wouldn't. He'd always deferred to Emilie even after she was gone he believed the poison she'd filled him with. She'd told him he didn't understand people so he shouldn't try. Instead of trying to help him communicate she told him that would be a waste of his time to keep things to himself and avoid other people's emotions. Being paired with Duusu had been perfect the kwami of emotion had been showing him how others emote and how he could if he wanted to, not that he had to but if he wanted to he was welcome to. Unfortunately once his broach had broken Gabriel had turned to Nooroo's which had been horrible for him. A man who could see other's emotions but did not empathize with them unless they were in his inner circle of family or friends, had no business carrying the butterfly brooch but he was already wearing it by the time Nathalie had arrived in Paris that fateful night.

She jumped in his arms when they heard the door slam down across the house and the angry foot falls and the rushed clicks of Marinette's heels following after Adrien before he burst into the atelier by slamming its door open. Revealing a furious Adrien his chest pumping up and down with his panting breaths, he looked like he had run miles rather than angrily walked across his home.

"Where is Mere?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding out who Hawk Moth is from Adrien's perspective.

15 Minutes Earlier

Marinette walked in Adrien's room finding him at his piano with his writing desk pulled next to it scattered with paper. He played a catchy tune then overlapped it with something dark, _interesting_ , she thought. 

Adrien looked up and smiled, "Hey!" he said and got up then noticing her mood he stopped, "What's wrong?"

Marinette pointed to his sofa, "It's about Hawk Moth and Mayura… and us, we need to talk."

Adrien looked confused, he reached for her hand, "We talked about this, what aren't you telling me?"

"I'm telling you, I'm telling you now, I just found out, and I'm t-"

"Okay," Adrien said, pulling her to the sofa and into his lap, "I'm sorr-"

Marinette covered his mouth, "No, don't apologize, not today," she swallowed, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, she had no idea how to comfort him. She was about to tell him his mother was, what was she, dead? She never really found out what happened to her. But she had to tell him his father was his worst enemy. She felt her hands tingle as if they were falling asleep and knew she had no time for a panic attack or even it's little sister an anxiety attack, right now was Adrien's turn. She felt her eyes fill with tears and she reached up to wipe them away but he caught her hand and looked at her with concern.

"Mari?" he swallowed, "Do we know them?"

She bit her lips together and nodded, she ran her fingers through his hair and took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I spoke with him, he did it because he thought he could make his son happy by bringing back his mother.

"He felt he was not as good of a parent as his wife was and he did not think his son loved him as much as his wife and has been trying to get her back for him as well as for himself. Originally he was Mayura, a hero, apparently, his wife was Papillon, also a hero. She tried to use both when he was away but she wasn't strong enough and she was hurt."

Adrien felt like her words were echoing in his head. Too much of this story was similar, too familiar, he didn't like this story he pulled her closer hoping she would finish so he would find out who Hawk Moth was so he would know who it wasn't.

"He found out that when our Miraculouses combined it would give him the ability to alter reality but he thought it was a wish. I explain-

Adrien listened to her closely but as she spoke he felt his heart hammering and hoped, _prayed_ what he was assuming was not true, but the more she said the more he knew it was the truth, until finally, he couldn't wait, "Marinette, stop, just, say it," he touched his forehead to hers knowing the words about to come from her mouth would be some of the most painful utterances she'd ever spoken to him and held on to her and whispered again, "say it."

Marinette looked at him and the tears slipped down and she gave a tiny gasp a breath before she said, "your father."

He crushed her to him and held her unaware that he was groaning a horrible sound of pain until he heard her little kisses and words to calm him. He gasped for air and found he'd been crying her cream blouse had tear stains everywhere from both of their tears. He was filled with rage, "I'm going to-"

Marinette slid to the sofa but held his arm, "No, you need to listen. I'm angry too but we have to separate this. When we deal with this we cannot think of it as we are all the same. You can think of yourself as Adrien son of Gabriel who is Hawk Moth and be upset but you cannot be upset because Chat Noir was the son of Hawk Moth because neither of you knew it. Your father was violently ill when he found out who you were.

Adrien looked at her angrily, "You _told_ him?! _Mon Dieu_ Marinette! Wasn't that the point of our not telling one another our identities was, so Hawk Moth wouldn't find out? Then you just tell him?"

"He figured it out," Marinette said, still holding his arm to keep him from running to his father. "Adrien, we have to treat him like anyone else, we have to treat him as if he were, M. Hessenpy."

"But he's not, Mari, he's not, he's my father, I am putting my father in prison," he said and shook her off his arm and walked quickly to the door.

She quickly chased after him, her short legs taking three steps for each one of his powerful strides. Her steps punctuated with little clicks of her heels, she whispered "Adrien, wait, Adrien, stop we should talk about this!" but her pleas went unheeded. She was still running down the last steps as he flung open the atelier door, his chest heaving in repressed rage. She got to his side before he walked in but was surprised to find he never moved. 

Adrien stood in the doorway and looked at his father. How dare he be upset! Why was Nathalie crying? How dare he comfort her! He'd never given him a moment of love without being begged for it. Eventually sorting through all the things he wanted to say he fell on the most important thing first.

"Where is Mère?"

Feeling Marinette come next to him he gathered his rage, he didn't want to let it go. Her presence was too comforting, he tried to ignore her even as she slid her arm around his back.

Nathalie wiped her eyes and stood then walked around the chair to stand behind Gabriel.

Gabriel sat up, "Adrien -"

"I'm not here for a conversation you've had over 10 years for that, I said where is my Mère?"

"That's difficul-" Gabriel tried to answer.

"No, it's not, you show me, it's very simple."

"Adrien, I thin-" Nathalie began.

"No one pays you to think. If y-" Adrien snarled.

"Adrien!" Marinette watched his eyes filling with tears and pulled at his arm, he might have thought he was ready for this confrontation but he wasn't. Unfortunately, he continued to ignore her.

"Adrien!" Gabriel yelled, "you will n-"

"I will! Until I get some answers I don't care who I hu-"

" _Chat Noir_ that is _enough!"_ Marinette said then took his hand and pulled him from the room.

Adrien looked at the small woman in front of him and pulled his hand away from her and wiped his wet cheeks. "I mean it, Mari, I don't care who I hurt. He didn't."

Marinette shook her head, "That's not totally true and Nathalie definitely doesn't deserve to be treated-

"You really think I didn't figure out _she's_ Mayura?" he asked her wondering if he was wrong about the pretty brunette. Maybe they really didn't know each other that well. 

Marinette shook her head, "Of course I knew you'd figure it out, but Nathalie loves you, and you love her and what you don't know- what you didn't _let me_ tell you, is _she's_ the one who turned him in. She's hurting too. They both are."

Adrien wanted to not care, he _tried_ not to care, his eyes still drowning in unshed tears. He looked hopeless, "What am I supposed to do Mari?"

Marinette looked up into his troubled eyes and swallowed the knot in her throat. She felt betrayed but she needed to be strong for him. "I think we need to go back to your room and we need to discuss our plan of action. He's not escaping, nothing is going to change."

Adrien looked at her like she'd lost her mind, "That's it? Make a plan?"

Marinette frowned, "This is very delicate-"

"Adrien," Nathalie stood in the doorway of the atelier as if nothing had ever changed and his father was ready to receive him.

Adrien's eyes narrowed at her, "Yes?"

"We would like to speak with you if you're willing to listen," Nathalie replied calmly, only the hair falling across her nose showed her inner turmoil.

Before Adrien could answer Marinette gave Nathalie a weak smile, "we'll be with you in a moment."

Nathalie watched Adrien to see if he would contradict his fiance but when he didn't she flicked her eyes toward Marinette and nodded, "we'll wait for you," she said then turned and shut the door behind her as if nothing unusual was transpiring.

Adrien looked at Marinette, "You have a plan?"

Marinette bit her lower lip, "Um, I'm still working that out."

Adrien put his hands on her shoulders and leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "We have to turn them in."

Marinette shook her head, they couldn't it would break him, not while they were planning the wedding. 

He pulled away and gently kissed her forehead then nodded, "You're right, how would we treat this if it were M. Kubdel?"

Marinette looked at him sadly, "Probably very delicately since it's our teammate's father."

Adrien smiled sadly, "then that is what we'll do. Every step of the way before we react we'll ask ourselves how we would react if it were M. Kubdel."

Marinette frowned but nodded, "Are we really going to send your father to prison?"

Adrien's eyes closed shielding her from his troubled gaze. "We have to. It's our job, and if it were your parents you wouldn't think twice, I know you're only doing this for me."

Marinette blushed at being caught, "He's the only family you have."

Adrien shook his head and held the hand in his right hand to her eye so she could see the diamond glittering in the foyer's light, "Bzz, bzz, incorrect, the correct answer is _you_ are my family too," he said then kissed her knuckles.

After years, Marinette understood Adrien's tendency to joke around, flirt or be overdramatic when he was uncomfortable was how he pushed through situations. Some people made jokes at funerals, Adrien would probably flirt… and tell jokes. Inappropriate jokes. She sighed and looked up at him then kissed his cheek.

"So are you thinking we should let the police handle it?" she asked.

Adrien threaded his fingers through her waves, "You want us to be impartial. That isn't possible but this way he'll be treated impartially. No one will know he's Chat Noir's father," Adrien said logically.

Marinette nodded, except justice never really reached their class, she bit her lip unsure how to explain to him his father would probably have it just as easy in the justice system.

"Of course once his lawyers get involved this will probably end up being a waste of time." Adrien looked Marinette in the eye and his anger began building again, "He's not going to be punished for this is he?"

Marinette frowned, unable to find words to comfort him. She _knew_ if Gabriel went to prison Adrien would be miserable but she also knew Hawk Moth never going to prison would haunt her future husband. There was no winning this, she decided to be honest with him.

She reached up and combed her fingers through the hair at his temples, "I don't know what you want me to say. No answer is the right answer. I think you're right once the Gabriel lawyers take over he probably won't see the inside of a jail cell. That being said I know you love him and how hard it would be for you to see him in jail especially knowing we were responsible for p-"

"No, we aren't _he_ is. His choices are what are responsible for this."

Marinette's eyes widened in surprise and she swallowed then nodded, "Oh, o-okay, then, um, I would say chances are he won't spend time in prison but if he does it will be because of our testimonies both as Marinette and Adrien _and_ as Chat Noir and Ladybug."

Adrien inhaled deeply through his nose then looked at his father's door and let it out defeated. The reality began to hit him. "What am I going to do, Buginette?"

She reached down and grabbed his hand, "Nothing alone. Everyone will be with you."

He smiled weakly at her and nodded, "what are we going to do now?"

"What we always do, listen to what they have to say. Besides, you wanted to see your Maman, didn't you?" She said sympathetically.

He nodded, "You want to just go in there and let them tell us why?" he asked.

"It's what we would do if it were M. Kubdel."

Adrien frowned, he was pretty sure if his father hadn't said he knew where his mother was he would have taken him or _any_ other Hawk Moth directly to the Police station, but he was going to let her run this show. He didn't think he was capable of being very level headed or fair. 

"Alright," he said, "Let's go."

**Author's Note:**

> As always please comment, I always respond. Bookmark to get an email when this story is updated or subscribe so you get an email when any of my stories are uploaded as they are all from the same timeline.


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